1. Field of the Invention.
The present invention relates to a cover assembly for beverage dispensers and particularly for the dispensing valves of a post-mix beverage dispenser.
2. Description of the Related Art
Beverage dispensers are found in many locations including restaurants, amusements parks, sports facilities, and other locations where people eat and drink. Beverage dispensers are used to dispense a variety of beverages including colas and other popular soft drinks. In post-mix beverage dispensers, a beverage syrup is mixed with carbonated or uncarbonated water at the dispensing valve and dispensed into a container for consumption. The beverage dispensers operate in a wide variety of environments. At amusements parks, beverage dispensers are often exposed to extremes of temperature from close to freezing to hot summer afternoons. The beverage dispenser sometimes operate infrequently and sometimes face near continuous use. Occasionally, the characteristics of the syrup supplied to the beverage dispenser will change.
The beverage dispensers referred to above are often in locations subject to public view. The beverage dispensers are often in locations in which area and volume is at a premium and every square inch of counter space is important. Because of the varied demands and exposure to the public of these beverage dispensers, they must be easily serviceable, attractive and inexpensive to manufacture.
Beverage dispensing valves are often disposed in groups as part of a larger ice and beverage dispensing assembly. Two or more beverage dispensing valves will be positioned in front of or below the main body of the ice and beverage dispensing assembly. Individual valves are contained within individual beverage dispensing valve cover assemblies. These cover assemblies are generally box-like two piece devices. A main cover has an open bottom in which the valves mechanical portions are placed and an open front normally covered by a front cover. The main cover is fixed to the valve itself by means of a screw. The front cover is fixed to the main cover by tabs fixed into indentations. The front cover often carries an electrical switch wired to the valve itself and sometimes a light. The cover assembly protects the valve from contamination and also covers the adjusting screws preventing tampering with the valve. Improper adjustment can interfere with proper proportioning of syrup and carbonated water resulting in an inferior beverage being dispensed. The front covers need to be removable from the main cover to allow access by servicemen. When removed, the front cover is completely free of the main cover or suspended from the main cover by the electrical wires connecting to the light or push button switch alone. Neither of these conditions are desirable. If the front cover is completely disassociated from the main cover in a multiple valve arrangement, the front cover can be put back on the wrong main cover resulting in mislabeled drinks. It can also be dropped and damaged. If the front cover is held to the main cover by the electrical wires only the wires can be stressed and broken resulting in damage to the valve body and an inoperable dispenser. Moreover, because of the front cover is normally tightly fixed to the main cover it can be easily damaged during the disassembly or assembly process, especially when disassembled by an inexperienced technician.
Disassembly of the above described dispensing valve covers and other similar dispensing valve covers becomes even more difficult when the valve bodies are disposed directly below an ice chest or marketing panel. It is common practice to have a large panel bearing advertising material directly above a battery of dispensing valves. In such arrangements, these dispensing valves are normally disposed one next to each other with very little clearance between them. A service technician will have very little or no room beside a valve and little space on top of a valve to be serviced. Because of these restrictions, valve covers are often removed less than gently resulting in damage to the cover, especially the front cover.